Hosiery



Jan. 6, 1 942.

A. o. HANISCHV ETAL HOSIERY 1 Filed Npv. 14, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS 'EGBERT FLEER. ARTHUR 0./7A/V/$C//.

ATTORNEY Jan.'6, 1942.. At -HANIScH arm. 5

' HOSIERY 7 Filed Nov. 14; 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS, I

EGBERT, FLEER.

ATTORNEY topof Figure-1,

" enclosed in the circle 9 of Figuref6;

' arrangement Patented Jan. 6, a I

, a Arthur oallanisch, Altadena, -Calif.,,an d Egbert Fleer, Fond du Lac,-,Wis.,-assignors tolnfants;

Socks, Inc., Beading; Pa., a corporation of Dela: l I

" Iware" g ApplicationNovember 14;;1939k Sei'ialiNL'Mdfild F I g Claims.

' invention relates toah fabl'lclvand'i the method of making'the same and'to hosiery embodyingthe "novel fabric as a part thereof...

. presence of a wrap'* yarn stitch *in" the dropped body stitch, as will be explained, either alone or It is an" object of thisinven'tion top'rovide a create an ornamental effect;

" novel fabric on which there are raised stitches to In the drawings:

Figure 1 isa' general-viewof-a'stockingem- I '-bo'dying the invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged viewofi the stocking Figure 3 is an enlarged i view'of afstoc Figure 4 is 'a-vieWshoWing in detail a Figure"? is'an enlarged detail-view enclosed m the circle 8 "of Figureb,

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail view of the area Figure 10 is an enlarged detail view of enclosed inthe circle) of Figure 6; 1 a

Figure 11 me view showing in detail'a 'stitch for a second fOXflIi'Oh thenovel fabric," 'I j'z j 1 Figure 12 is a'vlew'online 12 ofrFigurell looking in Figure-l3 is a view showingin detail astitch arrangement for a third forr'n of the novel fabric.

The present inventionrelatesto fabric, either of seamless'tubular construction orof fiat selvage edge construction, and has for itsobject to provide a knitted construction by means ofywhich raised stitches can be made'to extend fromthe normal surface of the fabric" to create a raised stitch type of ornamentation The raised stitches are preferably, but not necessarily, knitted with different colored plated wrap yarns so" as to vary 1 the visual effect of the raiseddesign;

the directionof theai 'rows and" modi the wales adjoining v thewale in jwhichftne stitch is dropped, the" special construction tending to j draw thefahi'ic'together'in a walewise-direction a for ,a purpose to =beexplainedg The invention is a'pplicable'to: plain, asj'well as "rib fabrics."

Iin Figure 1 there'is'sh owna stocking l2 hav ingtlie top llyinwhicl'i'tlierelis a raised-stitch. design in eacli'pf fthei'groups of horizontal courses IS. The Figure? shows the topill" en a n fi w npend ha mam t groups of horizbn'tal courses: Ti 6 I that the alterf nate. Wales are provided withthe raised stitches l 8 and the intervening w les haveth'e' relativelynon-raised stitches 20.

2 that the groups'of raisf "stitchesare arra n ed ftopu "shownin Figure 3.1- "w e n Eig ue'ztne 'raised stitches havebeen'shown te'b in alternate wales only, asshown in'l figure13 n'thesection 24, the raised stitches may-1. bein every third wale with the intervening two'wales ofr'elatively no'nj raised stitchesl L ik ewise' as shown inthe section 26of Figure 3, thepraisedstitches may be fin two ffabric.

adjacent wales separated from two oth er like adjaeent wales by a singleflwale of relatively nonraised stitches. .'I 'h'e yiari ousjcombinations of the iwales in which-the raised andnon-raised stitches may appear may'yary according to the design desiredand within certain limits willn'bfe explained in "the m'ethod" I The making of this ame {a ite 'm thefirib fabric of- Flgure '4 is preferably, carried but "on a"niach'inefhaying cylinder-and dial needles and means 'tofwrap individual threads selectively. around the cylinder needles injsucc'es- "sive courses to make ftrue rib fabric ornamented with rap-t reads plated on'the selected cylinder needles stitchesg The cylinde i needles are soar- Generally; the raiseddesign is "formed by means of dropped stitches of theWrip-Yarn, dropped along with the body stitch upon which 7 the wrap yarn stitch was plated, the casting of! and dropping actionon the needle takingplace before the followingflcourse' of knitting is made. In the following course the," thenbare needle 7 starts up knitting" again; Normally, dropped 9 stitches will run and in this fabric this a effectively lessened and practically nullified by the v ranged that "the ones 'uponfwhichthe raised. stitches are to. 'be made have longer" butts than the remaining needles for; a purpose I to a be described, although "obviouslyany type of needle selectlnginechanism' could The used. The machine is preferably provided with" means to selectiv ely dropo'nlythefstitchesof the long butt cylinder needles in a desired course in the formaf .tion ofthe raised stitches in addition tothe usual means for'casting of! and'droppingthestitehes of all new cylinder needles lathe formation "of t willb enotedinFigure r-m ufa cturingr the a regular selvage welt for separating sections of the rib fabric into individual tops. The machine is also preferably equipped with means to selectively make one or more ornamental raised roll welts in each of which a small roll of plain jersey fabric is knitted on the cylinder or plain outside wales for one or more courses with the stitches of the dial or inside rib wales for said one or more courses being held loops as is illustrated in the patent to Longtin No. 2,153,423. Preferably, but not necessarily, the machine is equipped with means to inlay an elastic thread for one or more courses in the rib fabric so as .to produce an elastic effect in the fabric due to the presence of the elastic yarn and to thus cause the wales of the fabric to be drawn closer to each other, such a machine attachment is illustrated in Longtin Patent No. 2,120,939 which is also illustrative of the type of true rib wrap machine which may be used to produce the fabric of the present invention.

Referring now, to Figure 4, there is shown enlarged a section of rib fabric having the dial wales 28, and 32, the cylinder wales '34, 36 and 38 and the even numbered courses 4|) to 66 inclusive, knitted of the body yarn 3| although more than one body yarn may be used if desired as in the case of multiple feed machines. I The body yarn 3| itself may be made up .of more than one thread as in the case'of two or more threads being used as a single body yarn. Individual to the cylinder wales 34, 36 and 38 are the wrap yarns, 33, 35, and 31 respectively which may be of contrasting colors, and if no design is desired ,in a selected cylinder wale, the wrap yarn for seen that this course is oneof rib knitting of the body yarn 3| with all of the wrap yarns floating vertically behind the cylinder wales. In the which are now in welt position retaining the loops 39 and the tucks 4| within their hooks, do not take the body yarn which floats past the dial wales as at 45. In the formation of course 5a) which is the last course of the pocket welt formation, in the first part thereof, the cylinder needles knit the body yarn and the wrap yarns in plated relationship'in wales 36 and 38, according to the design, while the dial needles remain in the welt position as in the previous course andthe body yarn floats past the dial wales as at between the cylinder wales. Later on in the same course 50, that is, after the formation of'the-stitches just described and before the knitting feed passes the mentioned wales again to form course 52, a selective cam on the machinepasses .the said wales and is then in a selective position to raise to cast oil position, preparatory to dropping the stitches of only those cylinder needles having long butts passing by the regular'butt cylinder needles. Since the cylinder needle forming the wale 36 is the only one shown in Figure 4 with a long butt, the

, stitch on that needle in wale-36 of course will the last course of the pocket welt, but as has been pointed out these long butt needles are arranged "in a selected intercalated relation with the short butt needles so the dropped stitches will be likewise ,intercalated with the wales in course 42 thereis rib knitting of the body yarn 3| with each of the wrap yarns forming a plated stitch on the body stitches as required by the design chosen. If the design chosen does not v require the knitting of the wrap thread at .any

course of. any wale, then instead of being plated as in course 42, the wrap yarn will float in back of the wale. The course 44 is the first course of a pocket welt formation varied as will be explained. In this course, the cylinder needles knit the body. yarn and the wrap yarns in plated relation, according to the design, while the dial needles knit the body yarn into the loops 39, these loops 39 are shown elongated in Figure 4 for the reason that they are held on thedial I within their hooks, also take the body yarn 3| within their hooks to form the tuck stitches 4|, the tuck stitches 4| and the held loops 39 both being retained in the hooks of the dial needles and being cast off together in the formation of course 52. In the formation of course 48, the cylinder needles knit the body yarn and the wrap yarns in plated relationship in wales 36 and 38, according to the design, while the dial needles,

which the stitches are not dropped. In the formation of course 52, the dial needles have been returned toknitting position and both the cylinder and dial needles knit a courseof rib fabric, the dial needles casting off both the loop 39 and the tuck 4| and the needle of wale 36 taking the body yarn 3| and forming the tuck 43 thereof, there being no other loop on this needle.

The wrap yarn is plated in wale 38 according to d the design and in wale 36 the wrap yarn 35 as well as the body yarn is taken by the needle in forming the tuck 4,3. In the formation of course 54 all of the needles'take the yarn and form a course of regular rib knitting, the wrap yarns being plated according to the design and a complete loop being drawn through the tuck 43. From then on in' the even numbered courses 66 to 66 there is a repetition of the structure described in the even numbered courses 44 to 64. It will be noted that a complete pocket weltis started upon all'of the cylinder needles and. that thepocket welt is not completed as to certain intercalated wales (having long butt needles). In the pocket welt structure the dial needles hold a loop and a tuck while the cylinderneedles knit and thus these held loops tend to draw the fabric together vertically at thoseplaces where the dial needles were so actuated. Normally the dropped cylinder wales would tend to run back but in the present invention this is effectively retarded by the vertical drawing action of the dial wale structures on both sides of a cylinder wale in which the stitches were not dropped and which completed the pocket welt from the;- face of the formation, Furthermore, the .run, back action is also effectively retarded-by-.=thepresence of the wrap yarn in platedrelation inithe dropped stitch and in the. stitchesof thatwale. preceding the dropped stitch, the presence of the wrap yarn causing the stitches to'be less likelytof run. In a run caused by stretching fabric the.pull

exerted byg'the stretching action is only par-,

tially transmitted to thewrap threads due .to their localized position and their 'lack of contact witheachiother, thusa' pull which contracts a fabric, stitch does not contract ,a .wrap stitchlto fabric stitches and this is true'in plain: as-well as in rib fabrics, The additional safeguard against raveling, that is the vertical pulling-actionof the welt structure, may ,be'usedwiththe dropped stitches but isjnot absolutely necessary, although inorder to: further insure=against the possibility of imperfect work, it may be used.

The Figure illustrates diagrammatically-how j the held loops 39 act to draw thefabric together; adjacent acylinder wale in which. the pocketwelt' has been completed. The-Figure 6 illustrates diagrammatically only the position of the dropped {loops in the wale 36 the body yarn not being shown ravelled and how they extend outwardly fabric to form a raised J r A '1 30 It has'been found that if too'many adjacent design;

cylinder needles-have long butts and consequently drop their loops at the end of the pocket welt formation, that the. area of fabric so affected,

may rurrback: due'to the lack ofan intervening cylinder wale which has not. been droppedand so it is desirable to have not o'ver'three orfour adjacent r cylinder needles with long butts. In

1 other words, the raised design should not bemade on more than three or four-adjacentcylinder wales without including intervening' cylinder waleswhich are not dropped. The selectively diagrammatic once the fabric is stretched there the usual tendency: forums to qstart, such raveling, if any, is not=shown in this :figure. fHowever, inFigure 12.there is shown what happens when the raveling starts and here- 1 in the ground: loop of-bodyyarnof the lowermost plated loop H hasrunand is shown at 18; ;The plated-portion;.of-,,this; loop has not run because 7 there ;-is no stretching actiononithe wrapthreads,

v the same extent and the wrapstitch thus acts' as a. stop tojthe runbackwaction of/the base asexplained previously,;and therefore the plated loopgextendsfaisafstop, throughthe next plated 1 :ground'loop thu'sipreventing therun from con- 'tinuing. It will be, obvious thatsuch-action will be, present whetherjthe invention is used :in a

;plain or a "-rib Lf'abric, for:. while 1 the outer two wales in Figure 11;.are shown as "dial wales, they v.jcould'just as well becylinder wale's so farias the construction I of the .center; wale is concerned. The wrap yarns may beplated uponlthe. cylinder .wales at any one or more desired courses and may bedropped-atany desiredcourse to provide the raised designs. z

=The stopfaction illustrated inFigureIZwhere in aloop of the 1wrap yam, from whichthe loop of thetbody'yam has raveled, acts'as-a stop in- -.side the next adjacent plated loopof body and j wrap yam lor 'ofbody yarn alone if not plated) equally applicable to the fabric -of Figure' 4 or of Figure 13, ifjthe body] yarn of the'dropped stitches I of either" of these two: modifications 7 shouldstart 'raveling as they may do under sufficient pulling action; on the ground-fabric." The p Figures- 4 and 13"being diagrammaticonly do not showthe ravelling-of the body yarn stitch of the dropped -wrap'platedstitchQ 1 In Figure 13a; rib ground fabricjilis; show as having three outside or plain wales andI'twoinsideforrib wales'with the wrap thread 82 knitted 1 into three plated stitches ;a4;ove'r. the'ground fabric stitches in the center plain wale. The

' lowermost 'platedstitch has beendroppedand knitting commences again in this'wale I with the Y movable cam acting on the long butts onlyinay.

move radially of the needle cylinder underipattern control for single courses so that in itsoutward position the cam is inoperative and'inits inward position the cam operates only theljong' butt needles or alternatively the cam mechanismmay be of a construction 'wherein thecamfnioves vertically to engageand raise the long butt needles while not engaging the regular "butt needles, in other words,avertical1y' movable thin cam under pattern control for single courses.

a-needle control is used which individually controls each needle in vertical'position, then the prising the raised effect, yet it combines with'the' rib fabric to give a desirable elastic effect to the rib fabric. In the case of the raised stitch effeet, the drawing together of the wales'of the rib fabric by 'me'ans-ofthe rubber yarn tends toaccentuate the effect of the raised stitches against the background of rib fabric; v

In Figure 11 a rib ground-fabric three plated stitches ll in the outsideor cylinder wale. The lowermost "plated stitch 13 has been? dropped and the needle starts knitting again with the loop 16. The showing of Figure 11 is 10 is shown I in which the wrap thread "has been knitted into loop 865* In the two dial or-ribwales there are tuck stitches formedadjacentthfdropped stitch to exert a-walewise force in amanner similar to the weltstructure' 'of-rFigure 4;" Thetuck stitches begin with the held: loops 88 and the two rounds oftuck 'knitting 90 ands: which are knit-off into regular knitting inthe same course in which the plated stitch in the intervening plain wale is dropped. Thetuck stitches may beofmore or use than the two rounds 'of tuck here shown and ne'ed not nec'essarilybe knitted off thefsai'ne course in which the plated stitch'is dropped; The

construction of Figure 13 is equallyapplicablejto plain fabric for in a plainfabric the tuclr stitches would be in the plain wales adjacent 'thewale in which-the plated stitch is dropped. In a like "manner the modification of Figured/could be used with a* plain fabricfor the'only' change re-' .quired would be that the then cylinder needlesof wales 28,30, and 32 would take the loops 39 with or withoutthe tuck' 4| and'wo'uld then miss the yarns 45 'Ifor two'courses. .In other words, in

either a ribor a plain fabric, the wales, on either sideof the wale containing the dropped stitches,

,may contain either tuck stitches, held stitches,

01' a' combination of both'to exert a .walewis Dull in fthe fabric Lin" the immediate vicinity" of the 'dropped'plated"looporloops. In all of the modiiic'ations elastic am may beinserted in the'fabjv ric coursewiseto draw the wales together anda centuate' the raised stitches."

We claim: p .1. A knittediabric' comprising wales and body yarn from raveling.

courses of a body yarn, wrap yarns individual to the wales and selectively plated on the stitches of wrap yarn extending outwardly respectively.

through one or more otherwise free loops of body yarn to ornament said fabric and to prevent the 3. A tubular knit rib fabric having courses comprising inside rib and outside plain wales, wrap yarns individual to said plain wales and incorporated therein and in one or more plain wales one or more free loops of wrapyarn extending outwardly respectively through one or more otherwise free loops of body yarn to ornament said fabric and to prevent the body yarn from raveling.

4. A stitch construction intermediate the ends of a wale of a knitted body yarn fabric having walewise extending wrap yarns comprising in a course thereof a free loop of wrap yarn extending outwardly through an otherwise free loop of body yarn to ornament said fabric: and to prevent the body yarn from raveling.

5. A stitch construction in a Wale of a knitted body yarn fabric having walewise extending wrap yarns comprising in a coursethereof a loop of body yarn which is the end stitchof a series of stitches in said wale, a free loop of wrap yarn extending outwardly through said end loop to ornament said fabric and to prevent said series of stitches from raveling and a series of body yarn stitches in succeeding courses in'said wale.

6. A stitch'construction intermediate the ends of a wale of a knitted body yarn-fabric having walewise extending wrap yarns comprising in a course thereof a float of body yarn across the same and a free loop of wrap yarn, said free loop of wrap yarn extending outwardly through an otherwise free loop of body yarn of the preceding course to ornament said fabric and to prevent the body yarn from raveling.

'1. A stitch construction as set forth in claim 6 in which the float of body yarn comprises a raveled dropped stitch of body yarn.

8. A stitch construction intermediate the ends of a wale of a knitted body yarn fabric having a wrap yarn individual to said wale comprising in a course thereof a free loop of said wrap yarn extending outwardly through an otherwise free loop of body yarn to ornament said fabric and to prevent said body yarn from raveling.

9. A stitch construction in a wale of aknitted body yarn fabric having a wrap yarn individual to said wale comprising in a course thereof a loop of body yarn which is the end stitch of a series of stitches in said wale, a free loop of said wrap yarn extending outwardly through said end loop to ornament said fabric and to prevent said series of stitches from raveling and a series of body yarn stitches in succeeding courses in said wale.

10. A stitch construction intermediate the ends of a wale of a knitted body yarn fabric having a wrap yarn individual to said wale comprising in a course thereof a float of body yarn across the same and .a free loop of wrap yarn, said free loop of wrap yarn extending outwardly through an otherwise free loop of body yarn of the preceding course to ornament said fabric and to prevent the body yam from raveling.

. 11. A stitch construction intermediate the ends of a wale of a knitted body yarn fabric having a wrap yarn individual to said wale comprising in a course thereof a free. loop' of said wrap yarn extending outwardly through an otherwise free plated loop of said wrap yarn on the body yarn to ornament said fabric and to prevent the body yarn from raveling.

12. A stitch construction in a wale of a knitted body yarn fabric having a wrap yarn individual to said wale comprising in a course thereof a loop of body yarn which is the end stitch of a series of stitches in said wale, a free loop of said wrap yarn extending outwardly through said end loop to ornament said fabric and to prevent said series of stitches from raveling and ya series of body yarn stitches in succeeding courses in said wale, an opening preceding said last named series of stitches, said wrap yarnextending from said free'loop of wrap yarn across said opening to and being incorporated in one or more of the initial stitches of said second named series of stitches.

13. A stitch construction in a wale of a knitted body yarn fabric having a wrap yarn individual to said wale comprising in a course thereof a loop of .body yam which is the end stitch of a series of stitches in said wale, a free loop of. said wrap yarn of the next 1 course extending" outwardly through said end loop to ornament said fabric and to prevent said series of istitches'from raveling, a float of body yarn across said next course, in the, following course said body yarn being tucked as the first stitch in aseries of body yarn stitches in succeeding, courses, an.opening preceding said tuck stitch, said wrap yarn extending from said free loop of wrap yarn under said float and across said opening to and being incorporated in said tuck stitch.

14. A stitch construction as set forth in claim 9 in whichsaid wrap yarn is selectively. plated on one or more of the stitches of said series of stitches.

15. A tubular knit stocking having a plain leg and a rib top, said top comprising inside rib and outside plain walesof body yarn, wrap yarns individual :to said plain wales and incorporated therein and in one or more plain wales one or more free loops of wrap yarn extending outwardly respectively through one or more otherwise free loops of body yarn to ornament said top and to prevent the body yarnfrom raveling.

16. A tubular rib knitted fabric comprising inside rib and outside plain wales of body yarn, wrap yarns individual to the plain wales and incorporated therein, one or more constructions each of which contains plain jersey selectively wrap plated fabric knitted 0n the plain outside wales only for one or more courses in continuation of, the stitches of the plain wales of a rib course with the stitches of the inside rib wales of said rib course being held loops for said one or more courses, one or more free loops of wrap yarn in selected, wales of said jersey fabric extending outwardly respectively through one or more otherwise free loops of body yarn to ornament said fabric and rib courses knitted in continuation of and joining the last course of said jersey fabric and said course of held loops.

17. The method of knitting a fabric on a series of needles includingthe step of feeding a thus containing plated stitches of wrap yarn on body yarn on said selected needles, the step of dropping said plated stitches from said selected needles and the step of feeding and knitting subsequent courses of fabric on said needles.

18. The method of knitting a fabric on a series of needles including the stepof feeding a body yarn to said needles and of feeding individual wrap yarns to selected ones of said needles for a course of said fabric, knitting said course thus containing plated stitches of wrap yarn on body yarn on said selected needles, the step ofdropping selected ones of said plated stitches from their needles and the step of feeding and knitting subsequent courses of fabric on said needles.

19. The method of knitting a fabric on a'series of needles including the step of feeding a body yarn to said needles and of feeding individual wrap yarns to selected ones of said needles for each of one or more courses of said fabric, knitting each of said one or more courses thus containing plated stitches of wrap yarn on body yarn on said selected needles, thestep of dropping selected ones of said plated stitches from their needles in each. of said one or more courses and the step of feeding and knitting subsequent courses of fabric on said needles.

20. The method of knitting a tubular rib fabric on a circular series of cylinder and dial needles including the step of feeding a body yarn to both sets of needles and of feeding individual wrap yarns to selected cylinder needles for a rib course of said fabric, knitting said rib course thus containing plated stitches of wrap yarn on body yarn on said selected cylinder needles, the stepof dropping said plated stitches from said selected cylinder needles and the step of feeding and knitting subsequent rib courses of fabric on said needles.

21. The method of knitting a tubular rib fab ric on a circular series of cylinder and dial needles including the step of feeding a body yam to both sets of needles and of feeding individual wrap yarns to selected cylinder needles for each of one or more rib courses of said fabric, knitting each of said one or more'rib courses thus containing plated stitches of wrap yarn on body yarn on said selected cylinder needles, the step.

of dropping selected ones of said plated stitches from their cylinder needles in each of said one or more rib courses and the step of feeding and needles only and of feeding individual wrap yarns to selected cylinder needles for one or more plain courses on said cylinder needles only, knitting each of said one or more plain courses thus con taining plated stitches of wrap yarn onsaid selected cylinder needles while holding, the loops of the-last rib course on the dial needles, the step of dropping selected ones of said plated stitches from their cylinder needles and the step of feeding body yarn to both sets of needles and knitting .rib fabric.

23. The method of knitting ,a tubular rib fabrio on a circular-series of cylinder and dial nee-.

dles including the, step of feeding a body yarn to both sets of needles and of feeding individual wrap yarns to selected cylinder needles for a rib course of said fabric, knitting said rib course thus containing plated stitches of wrap yarn on body yarn on said selected cylinder needles, the step I of dropping selected ones of said plated stitchesv from their needles, the step of feeding said body yarn to both sets of needlesand of feeding said' individual wrap yarns to selected ones of said cylinder needles including'the bare needles for the next rib course of fabric, knitting said next rib course of fabric. and the step'of feeding and knitting subsequent courses of rib fabric, on said needles.

24. The method of knitting a fabric on a circular series of independent needles including the step of feeding individual wrap yarns to selected needles and feeding a body yarn to said needles for a course of said fabric, ata knitting point in said circular series of needles knitting said course thus containing plated-stitchesof wrap yarn on' body yarn on said selected needles, the step of simultaneously dropping selected ones of said plated stitches from their needles at another point in said circular series of needles and the step of feeding and knitting subsequent courses of fabric on said needles.

25. ,The method of knitting a fabric on a cir-- cular series of independent needles including the step of feeding individual 'wrap yarns to selected needles-and feeding a body yarn to said needles for a course of said fabric, progressively actuat ing said needles as the latter pass relative to a knittingstation to knit said course thus containing plated stitches of wrap yarn on body yarn on said selected needles, the step of simultaneously dropping selected ones of said plated stitches knitting subsequent rib courses of fabric on said I dles.

from their needles at'a point spaced from said knitting station and the step of feeding and knitting subsequent courses of fabric on said nee- ARTHUR o. HANISCH.

EGBERT FLEER.

the step of feeding body yarn to the cylinder 

